0223 Secrets

"Where is your courage, Potter?" 

When Professor Watson uttered these words, Hermione let out a sigh of relief, feeling a heavy burden lift from her shoulders. She finally understood that Professor Watson was not going to kill them, but just wanted to teach Harry a valuable lesson in his own unconventional way. 

Harry realized this too, but his lips were dry and pale, and he couldn't utter a word. He looked like a lost soul, wandering in the dark. 

'Yes, where is my courage?' 

Harry asked himself, his thoughts racing. He had thought that his hatred for Black would make him disregard everything and take a life at all costs, but he found out that he was not as brave as he had imagined. He didn't even have the courage to kill a fake Black, a mere illusion created using a dummy.

"I'm sorry, Harry, I misled you." 

Professor Watson, who sat down calmly on a nearby chair, said with a gentle smile, making Harry stunned. He stared blankly at the powerful young professor, who made him feel no resistance, and didn't understand why he apologized. Professor Watson had already taught him a harsh lesson, one that he would never forget. 

"I guess, you must be resenting yourself in your heart for being a cowardly little wizard, who doesn't have the courage to kill a fake person made of dummy." Bryan's sharp eyes saw through Potter's inner turmoil. 

"But in fact, I misled you, Harry. Killing a person, taking away a person's life, never depends on courage." 

Hearing this, Harry's green eyes flickered, and he regained some vitality. He looked at Professor Watson with curiosity and confusion. Bryan's eyes swept over the three little wizards, who were somewhat stunned by his words, and his voice was calm and steady. 

"The reason why you didn't kill the fake person just now was not cowardice, but kindness, Harry, Hermione and Ron. You three are very kind wizards, who don't want to deprive the lives of any living being. I bet, even for Black, who is extremely wicked and has a blood feud with you, in the depths of your hearts, you just hope that he can go back to Azkaban and continue to be imprisoned." He paused, and then added, "Or maybe, you hope that he can redeem himself, and prove that he is not the traitor that everyone thinks he is." 

"But what's wrong with that, Professor Watson?" Hermione's thin body swayed, and her cheeks were pale. She felt a surge of emotion in her chest, and she spoke with a trembling voice. "The followers of You-Know-Who, those wizards who are called Death Eaters, they have hurt many people, they have killed many people, but the Ministry of Magic only imprisons them in Azkaban." 

Hermione felt suffocated, and she couldn't go on, but she still insisted on saying. She wanted to defend the law, the law that she believed in.

"The law does not allow the death penalty, professor, that was abolished long ago. We can't take justice into our own hands, we have to respect the law." 

"Law?" Bryan sneered, ready to say something, but considering that Harry and the others were just underage children, whose world was just this fairy-tale castle, Bryan shook his head. He decided not to shatter their innocence, not yet. 

"As a young wizard who has not graduated yet, Potter, you have to understand that the gap between you and an adult wizard with outstanding magic skills is insurmountable. I remember I once shared my opinion with you three—power is power, it is a pure thing, no matter love or hate, or courage, they can't make your power increase by leaps and bounds in an instant. So, the result of you going to find Black for revenge is to make so many people who worry about your life and health suffer in vain, including your parent's sacrifice." 

The long silence that followed made Harry feel extremely tormented, and Ron, who had recovered his breath, comforted him sincerely. "I always thought that you didn't have to become a murderer for that kind of scum, Harry." He patted Harry's shoulder, and said, "You are better than that, mate." 

"Harry will never become a murderer, right!" Hermione also said nervously, she was afraid that Harry, who was stubborn, would say something that would anger Professor Watson, so she leaned over and grabbed Harry's sweaty but cold hand. 

"I will be careful, Professor Watson." Harry, who had clenched his lips tightly, said in a hoarse voice. 

"Then, can I assume?" Bryan's voice suddenly became cheerful, as if he had forgotten the tense atmosphere. He smiled brightly, and said, "I will never see you wearing that magical invisibility cloak, sneaking out to the Three Broomsticks to steal drinks?"

"You really saw it, Professor Watson!" Harry, Hermione, and Ron exclaimed in unison, their faces turning red. 

Hermione glared at Ron fiercely, as if she wanted to burn him with her eyes. Her words seemed to express surprise, but her tone did not. It was clear that they had guessed about this in private.

"Oh, not stealing, professor–" Ron said weakly, avoiding Hermione's eyes. He knew that she hated lying, especially to their teachers. 

"I paid for Harry's butterbeer." He added hastily, hoping that it would make a difference. 

Harry was also startled, because he had agreed with Ron when they discussed this issue in private before. They both thought that the Three Broomsticks was so noisy and crowded that day that Professor Watson might not even notice them wearing the invisibility cloak, let alone Hermione and Ron, who were sitting at a corner table. 

"Professor Dumbledore seems to have told you–" Bryan added another sentence, out of precaution. He wanted to make sure that they understood the danger of their actions.

"Invisibility spells, invisibility cloaks and the like don't work in front of Dementors. You must have noticed that there are Dementors at the school gate again. They are guarding the entrance, looking for Black. But according to the result of my consultation with the Ministry of Magic, the Ministry has reduced the number of Dementors dispatched. They have realized that they are causing more harm than good, affecting the students and the teachers. So, you are absolutely not allowed to use the invisibility cloak to sneak out of the school gate!" He said firmly, emphasizing the last sentence. 

This made the expressions of the three change subtly, especially Hermione, whose face tightened suddenly. She bit her lip, and glanced at Harry and Ron nervously. 

Hermione and Ron both knew that Harry hadn't left the school gate at all, but used the magical map of Fred and George, the Marauder's Map. 

"You." Bryan narrowed his eyes and lowered his voice. He sensed that there was something more to their story, something that they did not want to reveal. Even without using the magic of Legilimency, the art of reading minds, he could see the changes in the expressions of the three little ones. 

"It seems that you have hidden something important?"

He asked, in a tone that was not a question, but a statement. He looked at them with a stern and penetrating gaze, that made them feel uncomfortable and exposed. 

They were still third-graders after all. When faced with pressure, their way of coping was too immature. They just looked at each other twice, and then Ron and Harry lowered their heads. Their eyes fixed on the ground and refused to move. 

Only Hermione seemed to want to say something, hesitantly. She was torn between her loyalty to Harry and Ron, and her respect for Professor Watson. She knew that lying was wrong, but she also knew that telling the truth could have serious consequences. 

"Professor–" 

Under Professor Watson's eyes, Hermione finally took a deep breath, after hesitating for a long time. She decided to tell a partial truth, hoping that it would be enough to satisfy him. 

"Harry. He is not-" 

Harry and Ron looked at Hermione nervously, and raised their heads suddenly. 

'Don't tell him about the map!' Hermione knew what Harry and Ron wanted to shout, through their eyes. She could see the panic and the pleading in their faces. 

'This is for your own good, Harry–' 

Hermione also responded firmly to Harry with her eyes. 

"Actually, Harry, he, um, accidentally found a secret passage when he was walking around the castle. He was curious and went in. When he came out, he accidentally found himself in Hogsmeade." 

Hermione was evasive, hiding the truth not to keep the magical map, but to avoid implicating Fred and George. 

Hermione didn't tell everything, which made Harry and Ron sigh with relief, but their faces didn't improve much. Because now there was only one secret passage that could be used to sneak out of Hogwarts, and since Hermione had said it, Professor Watson would surely seal it off to prevent Black from entering the castle. 

"Secret passage?" Bryan's expression became serious suddenly. He was surprised and alarmed by Hermione's revelation. 

"Secret passage, But Argus told me that the four secret passages in the school had all been sealed by him?" He asked, his voice doubtful and suspicious. 

"I think–" Under Professor Watson's fierce gaze, who had just shown his power, Harry couldn't keep silent. He felt that he had to say something, to support Hermione's lie, to make it more convincing. He followed Hermione's lead, and said bravely, hoping that Professor Watson would believe him.

"I think… I must have accidentally found a secret passage that Filch didn't know about." 

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